PhotChGravures  of... 


INI 


mara  hill 


The  Albertype  Co., 
brooklyn .  n.  y. 


Copyright  by 

A.    WITTEMAN  N, 
Publish er  of  American  Views 
250  Adams  St.,       Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


l£x  ICtbrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  hook 

Because  it  has  heen  said 
"Sver'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Brink  of  American  Fall. 


V 


Goat  Island  Bridge—American  Rapids. 


w 


Horseshoe  Fall,  from  goat  island. 


Three  Sisters  Island, 


Both  Falls,  from  Steel  Arch  Bridge. 


American  Fall,  seen  from  Canada 


American  Fall  and  Prospect  Point  in  Winter. 


Horseshoe  Falls— View  from  Canadian  Side. 


Victoria  Park — American  Fall  in  the  background. 


Ice  Bridge  across  the  Gorge. 


Dynamos— Niagara  Falls  Power  Co. 


Factory  District— Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y. 


Whirlpool  Rapids. 
Steel  Arch  and  Cantilever  Railroad  Bridges. 


The  Whirlpool  and  Lower  Gorge. 


Sentinel  Rock  on  the  Gorge  Road. 


Devil's  Hole— Gorge  Trolley  Road. 


Lewiston  Suspension  Bridge. 


An  Itinary  for  a  One,  Two  or 
Three  Day's  Visit,  jt  „*  jt  .* 


Niagara  Falls, 


AND  SURROUNDINGS 

BUFFALO  TO 
TORONTO.  ^  ^ 


WITH  SUPPLEMENTS  :  NIAGARA'S  IMMENSE  POWER. 
NIAGARA  IN  WINTER.  GEOLOGICAL.  NIAGARA 
RIVER.     CITY  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS.     HOTELS.  ,*  -J* 

.  .  .  COMPLIED  BY  0RRIN  E.  DUNLAP. 

Copyright,  1898  by  A.  WITTEMANN.  Publisher  of  American  Views,  250  Adams  St..  Brooklyn- New  York 

The  Albertype  Co.,  N.  Y 


One  Day  Guide  to  the  Niagara  Falls 


HE  person  who  has  only  one  day  in  which  to  see  the  sights  about  Niagara  is  extremely  un- 
fortunate. The  entire  locality  teems  with  views  that  will  gladden  the  hearts  of  visitors, 
but  they  cannot  all  be  seen  in  one  brief  day.  To  make  the  best  of  his  or  her  time,  however, 
the  visitor  must  engage  a  carriage  and  leave  the  hotel  in  the  early  morning  and  drive  at  once  to 
Prospect  Park .  As  you  enter  the  park  you  are  on  the  lands  of  the  State  Reservation,  and  as 
there  is  no  admittance  fee,  you  can  admire  the  merits  of  free  Niagara.  The  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture that  created  the  State  Reservation  was  passed  on  April  30th,  1883,  and  the  grounds  wrere 
thrown  "open  and  free  of  access  to  all  mankind,  without  fee,  charge  or  expense  to  any  person 
for  entering  upon  or  passing  to  or  over  any  part  thereof"  on  July  15th,  1885.  The  Reservation 
includes  Goat  Island,  Bath  Island,  the  Three  Sister  Islands,  Luna  Island,  Chapin  Island  and  the 
small  islands  adjacent  to  said  islands  in  the  Niagara  River,  and  also  certain  portions  of  the  river 
bed,  together  with  a  string  of  land  beginning  with  Port  Day,  and  running  along  the  shore  to 
and  including  Prospect  Park  and  the  cliff  and  slope.  The  area  comprises  107  acres  and  the 
cost  to  the  State  was  $1,433,429,50. 

PROSPECT  PARK. 

Prospect  Park,  your  first  stopping  place,  contains  about  12  acres.  It  has  a  frontage  on 
the  gorge  and  also  on  the  river  previous  to  its  plunge  over  the  American  Fall.  The  park  is  the 
"picnic  ground  "  of  the  reservation.  It  is  open  until  11  P.  M.  during  the  summer.  Alighting 
from  your  carriage  in  front  of  the  Inclined  Railway  building,  walk  along  the  stone  parapet  wall 
to  Prospect  Point  and  there  enjoy  a  full  view  of  the  American  and  Horseshoe  Falls. 

THE  AMERICAN  FALL. 

Standing  on  Prospect  Point,  the  water  dashes  past  you,  and  you  watch  it  fall  on  the  rocks 
below.  The  American  Fall  is  all  that  part  of  the  cataract  between  Goat  Island  and  Prospect 
Point.  It  is  1,000  feet  across,  and  the  rapids  above  it  have  a  descent  of  40  feet  in  a  half  a  mile. 
The  height  of  the  fall  is  159  feet.  This  will  be  found  an  interesting  point  to  linger  at,  but  you 
must  not  tarry  too  long,  as  time  is  precious.  Walk  back  to  Hennepin  View,  where  a  good 
general  view  is  to  be  had.  Then  enter  the  Inclined  Railway  Building,  and  take  the  cars  to  the 
loot  of  the  slope.    The  charge  is  10  cents.     The  stairs  are  free.    When  you  get  out  of  the  car, 


turn  and  pass  out  the  door  to  your  left  and  walk  along  the  path  toward  the  foot  of  the  fall. 
From  this  point  you  will  get  a  magnificent  view  of  the  falling  water  and  its  mighty  force  as  it 
s'.rikes  the  rocks.  Now  go  and  board  the  staunch  and  preLty  little  steamer  "Maid  of  the 
Mist  "  at  its  dock,  which  is  in  plain  sight.  The  charge  is  50  cents  for  each  passenger,  and  the 
tickets  will  allow  you  to  land  on  the  Canadian  side  and  return  on  any  trip  of  the  boat  the 
same  day.  The  view  of  both  falls  to  be  had  from  the  steamer's  deck  during  her  trip  is  one  of 
the  finest  obtainable  at  Niagara.  Passing  in  front  of  both  sheets  of  water  you  invade  the  realms 
of  fairyland  and  all  about  are  beautiful  rainbows.  Do  not  leave  the  steamer  until  it  reaches  the 
dock  from  which  you  started.  Then  ascend  the  incline,  take  your  carriage  and  order  the  driver 
to  Goat  Island. 

While  crossing  the  first  bridge  your  attention  will  be  attracted  by  the  beauty  of  the  scene. 
The  water  as  it  apparently  ' 1  comes  from  the  clouds  ' '  far  up  stream  and  dashes  over  the  many 
lodges  is  most  fascinating.  The  little  islands  to  your  left  are  called  Brig  Island  and  Ship  Island; 
to  your  right  are  Chapin  Island,  Robinson  Island,  Blackbird  Island  and  Crow  Island  ;  also 
Avery's  Rock,  the  latter  so  named  after  a  man  who  landed  on  it  on  July  18th,  1853,  and  to 
rescue  whom  ineffectual  efforts  were  made.  On  our  way  to  Goat  Island  is  the  office  of  the 
Reservation  Commissioners.  1 

GOAT  ISLAND. 

After  crossing  the  second  small  bridge  you  are  on  Goat  Island — a  veritable  temple  of 
nature.  There  are  about  So  acres  in  this  and  adjacent  islands.  It  owes  its  name  to  the  fact 
that,  in  1779,  John  Stedman  placed  several  goats  on  the  island  and  neglected  to  care  for  them. 

LUNA  ISLAND. 

The  driver  will  follow  the  road  to  the  right,  and  after  a  short  ride  through  a  beautiful  piece 
of  natural  forest  you  will  reach  the  stairway  that  leads  to  Luna  Island.  Stop  a  moment  at  its 
head  and  enjoy  the  beautiful  view  down  the  gorge.  It  is  indeed  a  graceful  sheet  of  water  that 
you  cross  in  passing  from  Goat  Island  to  Luna  Island.  The  fall  between  the  two  islands  is 
called  Centre  Fall  by  some.  On  moonlight  nights,  the  Lunar  bow  is  best  seen  from  this  island 
and  it  is  from  this  that  it  derives  its  name. 

CAVR  OF  THE  WINDS. 

The  next  stopping  place  is  the  Cave  of  the  Winds.  The  stairs  leading  to  the  slope  below 
are  free.  But  to  enter  the  cave  it  is  necessary  that  you  secure  the  services  of  a  guide  and  the 
protection  of  waterproof  clothing.  For  this  the  charge  is  #1.00  for  each  person,  and  the  trip  is 
well  worth  the  price.    The  guide  leads  you  along  safe  walks  and  bridges  into  the  midst  of  heavy 


spray  in  front  of  the  American  Fall.  Entering  the  cave  you  are  behind  the  great  sheet  of  fall- 
ing water,  which  curtains  the  outer  world  from  view.  The  roar  of  the  water  is  fearful  and 
unceasing.  The  spray  dashes  and  whirls  about  you  and  you  behold  the  most  awe  inspiring 
scene  at  Niagara.  Its  immensity  is  startling.  The  cave  was  formed  by  the  action  of  the  dash- 
ing water  in  washing  away  the  soft  substratum  of  the  precipice,  leaving  the  stratum  of  limestone 
over-head.    After  ascending  the  stairs  drive  to 

TERRAPIN  POINT. 

An  easy  stairway  and  path  leads  to  the  very  brink  of  the  Horseshoe  Falls,  which  is  before 
yon  in  all  its  magnificence.  It  will  at  once  be  seen  that  the  water  is  deeper  as  it  passes  the 
brink  at  the  centre,  than  at  the  American  Fall.  The  beautiful  green  centre  will  force  admira- 
tion, for  the  stream  bends  solidly  over  the  precipice  and  does  not  burst  into  foam  as  it  drops 
from  the  ledge.  In  1833,  a  tower  45  feet  high,  12  feet  in  diameter  at  its  base,  and  eight  feet 
at  the  top,  was  built  here  to  increase  the  facilities  for  viewing  the  falls.  It  stood  until  1873, 
when  it  was  torn  down,  being  considered  unsafe.  In  the  gorge  below,  the  water  is  churned 
into  a  milky  whiteness.  The  Horseshoe  Fall  is  frequently  referred  to  as  the  Canadian  Fall. 
It  extends  from  Goat  Island  to  the  shore  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  In  1842,  its  crest  line 
measured  2,260  feet;  in  1890  it  was  3,010  feet.  This  fall  shows  a  mean  total  recession  of  104 
51/100  feet  in  48  years,  the  total  area  of  recession  being  275,400  superficial  feet  or  6  32/100 
acres.  In  height  the  fall  is  168  feet,  the  rapids  above  having  a  descent  of  55  feet  in  three-quarters 
of  a  mile.  The  volume  of  water  estimated  to  pass  over  the  fall  is  15,000,000  cubic  feet  per 
minute,  or,  about  one  cubic  mile  per  week.  Many  geologists  feel  assured  that  the  Horseshoe 
Fall  is  the  engine  that  ploughed  the  great  gorge.  It  certainly  falls  away  more  rapidly  than  the 
American  Fall,  as  the  soft  stratum  of  rock  below  is  undermined  by  the  action  of  the  water  so 
that  finally  the  weight  of  the  heavy  limestone  top  forces  it  to  fall. 

THREE  SISTER  ISLANDS. 

[n  driving  to  these  islands,  which  are  a  short  distance  above  the  brink  of  the  Horseshoe 
Pall,  a  very  fine  view  is  obtained  of  the  Canadian  rapids,  the  water  running  at  the  rate  of  28 
miles  an  hour.  The  Sister  Islands  are  three  of  the  most  delightful  spots  about  Niagara.  On 
all  sides  the  river  is  of  wondrous  beauty  and  the  many  freaks  of  the  course  of  the  river  are 
charming  to  a  great  degree.  While  standing  far  out  on  the  Third  Sister  Island  a  fine  view  is 
obtained  of  tlje  river-and  the  cascade  that  extends  to  the  Canadian  shore,  varying  in  height 
from  10  to  15  feet. 

Die  drive  around  the  head  of  Goat  Island  brings  an  entire  change  of  scene.    The  river  lies 


6efore  you  calm  and  peaceful,  and  the  contrast  afforded  between  what  you  have  a  half-hour 
previously  looked  upon  is  wonderful.  There  is  no  intimation  here  of  the  wild  pitching  farther 
down  stream  and  the  river  extends  before  you  broad  and  smooth. 

Crossing  the  bridge  to  the  mainland  the  drive  along  the  river  to  the  upper  part  of  the  reser- 
vation will  please  you,  the  locality  being  rich  in  historical  incident.  You  will  catch  a  glimpse 
of  Niagara's  great  manufacturing  district  on  the  world-famed  tunnel  power  plant,  which  was 
built  at  a  cost  of  several  millions  of  dollars.  This  tunnel  was  started  on  October  4U1,  1S90;  and 
in  the  summer  of  1893  the  first  power  was  obtained.  The  first  section  of  the  tunnel  'completed 
is  7,000  feet  long,  18.84  feet  wide,  21,027  feet  high,  lined  from  end  to  end  with  brick,  and  has  a 
power  capacity  of  100,000  horse  power.  An  immense  canal  1,200  feet  long  connects  the  river 
with  the  tunnel. 

THE  SUSPENSION  BRIDGE. 

After  returning  to  the  hotel  for  lunch,  drive  to  and  across  the  upper  suspension  bridge. 
The  toll  charge  is  25  cents  for  each  passenger  and  25  cents  for  the  carriage.  A  beautiful  view 
of  the  falls  is  obtainable  from  the  bridge.  The  structure  was  built  to  replace  the  one  blown 
down  by  the  big  wind  storm  of  January  9-ioth,  1889.  A  portion  of  the  old  structure  is  hidden 
beneath  the  waters  below.  The  present  bridge  is  a  monument  to  the  bridge  building  ability  of 
the  present  day.  It  was  commenced  on  March  22nd,  1889,  and  finished  on  May  7th,  of  the 
same  year.  The  length  of  the  span  between  the  centers  of  towers  is  1/268  feet.  The  tower  on 
the  American  side  is  97  feet  6  inches  in  height,  the  one  on  the  Canada  is  103  feet  7  inches. 
The  difference  in  height  is  owing  to  the  variation  in  the  height  of  the  banks.  The  width  of  the 
structure  is  17  feet  6  inches  between  the  centers  of  chords.  The  weight  of  the  bridge  is  V9 
tons.  It  is.suspended  from  four  cables,  each  of  which  is  6)4  inches  in  diameter  and  formed  by 
seven  wire  ropes,  whose  diameter  is  2%  inches  and  in  each  of  whic  h  there  are  133  wires.  Each 
of  these  seven  ropes  is  capable  of  .sustaining  155  tons,  thereby  making  the  sustaining  power  28 
times  155  tons.  The  deflection  of  the  cable  varies  from  89  feet  in  winter  to  92  feet  in  summer. 
The  first  bridge  that  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  present  structure  was  Opened  in  January,  1869, 
and  was  built  of  wood.  In  1872,  the  bottom  chord  was  replaced  by  steel.  In  1884,  steel  sup- 
planted wood  in  the  tower  portion  and  the  work  was  finished  in  12  daws.  In  October,  1S87  the 
work  of  widening  the  bridge  was  commenced,  and  it  was  completed  June  13th,  1888,  without 
a  suspension  of  traffic  or  any  accident  happening,  The  bridge  that  spans  the  gorge  to-day  is 
one  of  the  prettiest,  most  graceful  and  substantial  in  the  world. 

QUEEN  VICTORIA  NIAGARA  FALLS  PARK. 
Within  a  few  minutes  after  leaving  the  bridge  you  enter  Queen  Victoria  Niagara  Falls  Park. 


This  park,  like  the  New  York  State  Reservation,  is  free;  James  Wilson  is  superintendent  Its 
creation  followed  an  act  passed  by  the  Ontario  Legislature  in  1885,  and  on  December  14th, 
1886,  an  Order  in  Council  was  passed  approving  the  selection  of  the  lands  for  park  purposes. 
The  area  of  the  park  proper  is  154  acres,  but  the  Commissioners  control  the  strip  along  the  bank 
from  Table  Rock  to  Queenston  known  as  the  Chain  Reserve.  This  gives  them  authority  over 
more  than  300  acres.  The  expense  incurred  in  establishing  this  park  by  Canada  was  $436,813.24. 
The  park  was  formerly  opened  on  May  24th,  1888,  the  69th  anniversary  of  Queen  Victoria's 
birthday.  A  grand  civil  and  military  display  occurred  on  June  21st,  1888.  It  is  from  Victoria 
Park  that  the  most  beautiful  front  view  of  both  falls  can  be  obtained. 

TABLE  ROCK. 

This  is  one  of  the  historical  spots  in  the  park.  At  one  time  it  was  very  famous,  but  it 
has  gradually  fallen  away  until  little  of  the  great  ledge  which  once  overhung  the  precipice  re- 
mains. Some  idea  of  what  it  once  was  is  gained  by  the  statement  that  in  July,  j8i8,  a  mass  160 
feet  long  by  40  feet  wide  fell,  and  on  June  26th,  1850,  a  piece  200x260  went  down.  There  is  an 
elevator  at  this  point,  but  the  visitor  of  one  day  will  find  it  best  to  forego  the  pleasure  of  the 
descent  and  drive  on. 

CEDAR  AND  DUFFERIN  ISLANDS. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  possession  is  called  Victoria  Free  Park,  the  Commissioners,  at 
this  writing,  continue  to  charge  a  small  toll  to  carriages  entering  upon  the  islands.  But  the 
view  to  be  had  driving  through  the  islands  is  well  worth  the  sum  charged.  From  Cedar  Island 
a  magnificent  view  of  the  rapids  above  the  falls  is  obtainable  as  they  leap  from  ledge  to  ledge 
in  the  descent  of  50  feet  to  the  brink  of  the  Horseshoe  Fall.  Pretty  rustic  bridges  connect  the 
Dufferin  Islands,  so  named  after  Lord  Dufferin.  late  Governor-General  of  Canada. 

-  POWER  DEVELOPMENT. 

It  is  just  a  little  above  Table  Rock  that  the  Canadian  Niagara  Power  Company  will  de- 
velop, by  means  of  a  short  discharge  tunnel  and  the  necessary  wheel-pits,  about  250,00  horse 
power,  which  will  serve  for  manufacturing  purposes  in  the  vicinity  and  also  be  transmitted 
electrically  to  outside  points. 

You  have  now  visited  the  main  portions  of  both  of  the  great  Free  Parks  at  Niagara  and,  in 
the  remaining  few  hours  of  your  one  day  visit,  will  find  it  pleasant  to  hurry  to  some  of  the 
outside  points  of  interest.    The  first  of  these  is 


FALLS  VIEW. 

At  this  point  all  the  passenger  trains  of  the  great  Michigan  Central  Railroad  stop  long 
enough  to  give  their  patrons  a  glimpse  of  one  of  the  grandest  and  most  sublime  views  at 
Niagara.  This  point  of  view  is  virtually  a  Michigan  Central  creation,  and  from  it  you  can  look 
far  up  the  river  before  it  plunges  over  precipice,  and  you  have  also  before  you  every  part  of  the 
falls,  as  well  as  a  magnificent  view  of  the  gorge. 

RAILWAY  SUSPENSION  BRIDGE. 

Returning  to  the  American  side  by  way  of  the  railway  suspension  bridge,  you  will  get  a 
good  view  of  the  railway  suspension  bridge  and  also  of  the  great  cantilever  bridge.  The  railway 
suspension  bridge  was  commenced  in  1S52  and  finished  ii\  1855.  At  first  its  construction  was  of 
wood,  but  it  has  been  re-built  and  is  now  made  of  steel  throughout.  The  carriage-way  is  28 
feet  below  the  tracks.  Foot  and  carriage  passengers  pay  10  cents  toll  each.  The  span  from 
tower  to  tower  is  825  feet.  The  track  is  258  feet  above  the  water.  The  weight  of  the  super- 
structure is  800  tons.    The  diameter  of  each  cable  is  io}4  inches. 

CANTILEVER  BRIDGE. 

The  Cantilever  Bridge  is  300  feet  up  stream  from  the  last  mentioned  structure.  It  wras 
commenced  April  15th.  1883,  and  finished  December  ist,  1883.  The  total  length  of  the  bridge 
proper  is  910  feet,  which  is  divided  into  two  cantilever  arms,  one  of  which  is  375  feet  in  length, 
the  other  395  feet.  These  cantilevers  are  supported  on  steel  towers  arising  from  the  water's 
edge  130  feet  high,  and  the  total  weight  supposed  to  rest  on  these  columns  is  1,600  tons.  A 
fixed  span,  125  feet  in  length,  connects  the  two  cantilever  arms  in  the  center,  making  the  span 
across  the  river  from  tower  to  tower  about  500  feet.  The  shore  ends  of  the  cantilevers  are  held 
firm  try  immense  stone  abutments.  The  height  of  the  bridge  above  the  river  is  245  feet.  The 
structure  is  made  of  the  best  of  steel  throughout  and  is  double  tracked. 

WHIRLPOOL  RAPIDS. 

While  crossing  the  railway  suspension  bridge  you  will  obtain  a  magnificent  view  of  the 
whirlpool  rapids,  with  the  great  whirlpool  in  the  distance.  From  the  dizzy  height  of  the  bridge 
it  may  be  hard  to  realize  that  the  white  capped  waters  dash  40  to  50  feet  high  as  they  tumble 
and  crush  their  way  through  this  narrowest  portion  of  the  gorge,  but  such  is  the  fact.  The 
river  is  a  grand  one  and  never  to  be  forgotten.  Three  elevators  afford  facilities  for  reaching 
the  water's  edge  on  the  American  side. 


THE  TRIP  TO  LEWISTON. 


Leaving  the  bridge  have  your  driver  take  you  to  the  New  York  Central's  Suspension  Bridge 
Station.  Dismiss  him  there  and  board  the  first  Observation  train  for  Lewiston.  These  trains 
are  run  about  every  hour  by  the  New  York  Central.  Tickets  cost  25  cents  for  the  round  trip, 
and  at  no  place  at  Niagara  do  you  more  fully  get  your  money's  worth.  The  trip  is  replete  with 
interest  throughout  its  entire 'length.  Leaving  the  Falls  Street  Station,  the  train  travels  two 
miles  along  the  gorge  between  the  falls  and  the  rapids,  both  of  which  delightful  views  are 
visible  for  almost  the  entire  two  miles.  Leaving  the  lower  station,  the  train  gradually  enters  a 
deep  cut  through  the  rock,  in  which  it  travels  for  some  distance,  and  then  suddenly  makes  its 
exit  from  the  cut,  and  the  eyes  of  the  passengers  are  allowed  to  feast  up;n  one  of  the  grandest 
views  in  the  world. 

The  train  is  now  wending  its  way  slowly  along  the  bank  mid-way  between  the  water's  edge 
and  the  top  of  the  high  bank.  On  one  side  the  rocky  bluff  is  close  "by;  on  the  other,  the  river 
is  seen  to  turn  in  and  out.  as  the  water  now  smooth,  now  rough,  hurries  on  to  old  Ontario. 

Nothing  at  Niagara  can  compare  with  it  for  natural  beauty.  The  thicklv  wooded  Canadian 
bank  has  a  charm  beyond  description.  Across  the  gorge  hang  cables  of  the  old  bridge.  Sud- 
denly the  train  shoots  into  a  short  tunnel  and  when  it  emerges  on  the  other  side  the  scene  is 
changed.  The  train  has  made  the  passage  down  the  mountain,  and  the  fields  and  woods  of  the 
lowlands  are  before  you.  For  a  moment  or  two  you  lose  sight  of  the  stream,  but  soon  the  train 
stops  at  the  station  right  on  the  river  bank,  and  you  stand  awe-struck  at  the  beautiful,  placid 
stream  before  you.  It  is  hard  to  comprehend  that  this  same  water  on  which  your  eyes  now  rest 
was  seen  but  a  short  time  before  in  battle  in  the  gorge,  as  though  struggling  for  supremacy  and 
leadership,  in  floating  past  the  guns  at  Fort  Niagara,  to  be  lost  in  the  waters  of  Ontario. 

Do  not  leave  the  train  at  Lewiston.  but  return  on  it  to  the  Niagara  Falls  station.  If  you 
have  not  tarried  too  long  at  the  various  points,  you  may  still  have  an  hour  or  two  before  your 
train  leaves.  If  so.  drive  or  walk  to  Prospect  Park  and  there  let  the  remaining  moments  of  your 
stay  at  Niagara  be  passed  in  communing  with  the  beauties  of  nature.  If  vou  have  time,  take 
another  trip  on  the  "  Maid  of  the  Mist.  "  Then  you  will  leave  Niagara  with  your  face  washed 
by  the  spray  and  with  over-flowing  admiration  for  grand,  old  Niagara. 


Two  and  Three  Days  at  Niagara. 


 9  — . 

THE  FIRST  DAY 

Those  who  have  two  or  three  days  to  spend  at  the  falls  will  far  more  appreciate  the  grand- 
eur than  those  busy  persons  who  do  Niagara  in  the  light  of  one  day.  When  you  leave  your 
hotel  after  breakfast  on  the  first  day,  stroll  to  Prospect  Park.  You  have  no  use  for  a  carriage. 
Give  up  the  entire  morning  to  viewing  the  places  about  the  park  and  on  the  islands.  The  paths 
leading  from  one  delightful  spot  to  another  are  in  plain  sight,  but,  if  any  special  information 
is  wanted,  the  courteous  care-takers,  who  are  sufficiently  numerous,  will  most  willingly  advance 
it.  Each  one  is  a  well  posted  guide,  and  they  have  figures  and  facts  at  their  tongue's  ends. 
As  you  stroll  from  Prospect  Park  to  and  across  Goat  Island  bridge  to  the  islands,  you  will  upon 
reaching  the  island,  turn  to  the  right  and  follow  the  path  to  the  various  points  mentioned  in 
the  outline  of  the  one  trip. 

Following  a  delightful  morning  stroll  about  the  New  York  State  Reservation  and  the  en- 
joyment of  lunch,  strike  out  on  foot  again  and  go  to  Prospect  Park  and  pass  down  the  inclined 
railway  and  board  the  steamer  "  Maid  of  the  Mist."  Take  the  trip  up  and  across  the  river  and 
leave  the  boat  at  the  Canadian  dock.  Walk  up  the  hill,  for  you  will  find  it  pleasant  to  pause 
frequently  and  view  the  great  cataract.  Turn  to  your  left  at  the  top  of  the  hill,  enter  Victoria 
Free  Park  and  walk  up  to  Table  Rock.    As  you  do  this  you  will  get  many  magnificent  views. 

An  electric  railway  passes  through  Victoria  Park  and  you  will  find  it  pleasant  to  board  one 
of  the  cars  and  enjoy  the  ride.  The  road  is  12  miles  long  and  extends  along  a  beautiful  route 
from  famous  Chippewa  to  historic  Oueenston.  On  Queenston  Heights  a  bloody  battle  was 
fought  and  there  General  Isaac  Brock  fell  in  181 3.  A  handsome  freestone  monument  has  been 
built  to  perpetuate  his  memory. 

Returning  from  the  ride  on  the  Canadian  electric  railway  and  crossing  to  the  American 
side  by  way  of  upper  suspension  bridge,  take  dinner.  The  remainder  of  the  evening  may  be 
passed  in  resting  from  the  fatigues  of  the  day,  or  viewing  the  falls  by  night  in  Prospect  Park, 
the  gates  of  which  remain  open  until  11  P.  M.  during  the  summer  season. 

THE  SECOND  DAY. 

Before  retiring  for  the  night  on  your  first  day,  leave  word  to  be  called  in  time  for  the  first 
morning  trip  of  the  boat  for  Buffalo.  The  electric  street  cars  carry  you  right  to  Schlosser  Dock, 
where  the  boat  will  be  found.    On  your  way  to  the  dock  you  pass  the  great  power  canal  and 


tunnel  of  the  Niagara  Falls  Power  Company.  Schlosser  Dock  is  a  historic  spot.  At  one  time 
the  spot  was  fortified  and  called  Fort  de  Portage.  It  was  burnt  in  1759  by  Joncaire  It  was 
rebuilt  in  1761  by  Captain  Schlosser  of  the  British  Army,  who  named  it  after  himself.  He  died 
here.    In  1837  the  steamer  Caroline  was  attacked  here,  set  on  fire  and  sent  off  the  falls 

The  steamer  will  carry  you  up  the  river  past  La  Salle,  Tonawanda  and  other  villages,  and 
you  will  experience  much  pleasure  in  viewing  the  beautiful  island  scenery.  Grand  Island,  the 
largest  in  Niagara  River,  will  afford  you  a  pleasant  study  of  its  shores.  Do  not  leave  the  boat 
at  Buffalo.  The  trip  down  the  river  will  be  made  on  the  opposite  side  of  Grand  Island  to  that 
on  which  you  went  up,  and  while  stopping  at  Navy  Island  you  will  catch  sight  of  the  place 
that  was  the  headquarters  of  the  patriots  in  the  war  of  1837.  The  scenery  on  the  upper  Niagara 
is  grand  beyond  description,  and  as  you  eutei  Buffalo  harbor  you  look  across  the  waters  of 
Lake  Erie. 

Take  a  New  York  Central  Observation  Train  early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  and 
go  to  Lewiston.  There  board  the  steamer  in  waiting  and  take  a  short  voyage  down  the  river 
to  Niagara-on-the-Lake,  a  Canadian  town  full  of  history,  it  being  said  to  be  older  than  any 
village  on  the  opposite  bank.  It  was  here  that  the  first  session  of  the  Parliament  of  the  upper 
Province  was  held,  and  in  1792  it  was  the  home  of  the  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Canada. 

Another  steamer  or  a  rowboat  will  aid  you  in  crossing  to  the  American  side  and  visiting 
Fort  Niagara,  which  was  established  as  a  trading  post  by  La  Salle  in  1678,  and  which  is  now  a 
United  States  Fort,  fully  garrisoned.  In  the  early  days  it  was  the  scene  of  several  battles,  and 
more  than  once  it  has  been  captured  and  re-captured.  The  boats  and  train  will  carry  you  to 
the  falls,  and  on  your  second  day's  visit  you  will  have  seen  the  beauty  of  the  Niagara  from 
lake  to  lake. 

THE  THIRD  DAY. 

The  third  day  may  be  most  profitably  passed  in  several  ways.  With  many  visitors  a  trip 
to  Toronto  is  the  favorite.  If  you  decide  to  visit  the  charming  Canadian  city,  the  New  York 
Central  train  will  carry  you  to  Lewistown,  where  you  will  board  one  of  the  staunch  and  hand- 
some boats  of  the  Niagara  Navigation  Company.  You  will  have  a  delightful  ride  across  Lake 
Ontario  and  have  three  or  four  hours  in  Toronto  before  taking  the  return  boat,  reaching  the 
falls  iu  the  early  evening.  However,  if  you  prefer  passing  the  day  in  closer  proximity  to  the 
falls,  drive  to  the  whirlpool  rapids  and  whirlpool  in  the  morning.  Mention  has  been  made  of 
the  rapids  and  the  several  elevators.  At  the  elevators  a  charge  of  fifty  cents  is  made  for  each 
person  to  go  below,  and  the  close  view  of  the  mighty  rushing  torrent  that  pours  through  the 
gorge  is  worth  it. 


THE  WHIRLPOOL. 


The  whirlpool  is  a  short  distance  below  the  rapids  elevators,  and  of  this  wonder  Porfessor 
Tyndall  has  written  :  "  Here  the  river  makes  a  sudden  bend  to  the  northeast  forming  nearly  a 
right  angle  with  its  previous  direction.  The  water  strikes  the  concave  bank  with  great  force 
and  scoops  it  incessantly  away.  A  vast  basin  has  been  thus  formed,  in  which  the  sweep  of  the 
river  prolongs  itself  in  gyratory  currents.  Bodies  and  trees,  which  have  come  over  the  falls, 
circulate  here  for  days  without  finding  an  outlet.  From  various  points  of  the  cliffs  above  this 
is  curiously  hidden.  The  rush  of  the  river  into  the  whirlpool  is  obvious  enough  ;  and  though 
you  imagine  the  outlet  must  be  visible,  if  one  existed,  you  cannot  find  it.  Turning,  however, 
round  the  bend  of  the  precipice  to  the  northeast,  th«  outlet  comes  in  view." 

"I  went  down  to  the  river's  edge,  where  the  weird  loneliness  and  loveliness  seemed  to 
increase  The  basin  is  enclosed  by  high  and  almost  precipitous  banks,  covered — -when  I  was 
there— with  russet  woods.  A  kind  of  mystery  attaches  itself  to  gyrating  water,  due,  perhaps, 
to  the  fact  that  we  are  to  some  extent  ignorant  of  the  direction  of  its  force.  The  water  is  of  the 
brightest  emerald  green.  The  gorge  through  which  it  escapes  is  narrow  and  the  motion  of  the 
water  swift,  though  silent.  The  surface  at  the  outlet  is  steeply  inclined,  but  it  is  perfectly  un- 
broken There  are  no  literal  waves,  no  ripples  with  their  bubbles  to  raise  murmur,  while  the 
depth  is  here  too  great  to  allow  the  inequality  of  the  bed  to  ruffle  the  surface,  nothing  can  be 
more  beautiful  than  this  sloping  mirror,  formed  by  the  Niagara  in  sliding  from  the  whirlpool/1 

If  you  wish  to  leave  Niagara  in  the  full  sense  of  enjoyment  sf  a  delightful  time,  pass  your 
last  afternoon  about  the  State  Reservation  You  may  think  that  you  saw  everything  during 
the  last  visit  there,  but  you  will  find  many  things  that  escaped  your  notice  before.  To  linger 
about  the  near  locality  of  the  cataract  and  study  the  beauty  of  the  framing  will  more  thoroughly 
impress  you  with  its  sublimity.  You  may  be  tempted  to  make  a  second  trip  on  the  "  Maid  of 
the  Mist."  If  you  do  this,  you  will  depart  from  Niagara  with  regret  that  you  cannot  linger 
longer  and  view  the  ever  changing  beauty  of  the  torrent. 

NIAGARA  IN  WINTER. 

In  winter  Niagara  is  strangely  beautiful.  The  spray  is  frozen  on  the  trees  and  shrubs  and 
everything  about  appears  as  though  cut  from  purest  marble.  Frequently  the  ice  gathers  in  the 
gorge  in  such  quantities  that  a  a  great  ice  bridge  is  formed  and  thousands  of  people  ctoss  from 
shore  to  shore  over  its  uneven  surface.  An  ice  bridge  formed  on  January  3rd,  1893,  and  lasted 
about  two  months  and  a  half. 


GEOLOGICAL. 


There  are  few  who  see  the  Niagara  gorge  but  that  wonder  what  the  facts  are  in  regard  to 
its  formation.  Geologists  tell  us,  and  their  answer  is  accepted  as  conclusive,  that  it  started  at 
the  mountain  near  Lewiston.  The  whole  waters  of  the  lakes  there  foamed  over  this  dam, 
which  was  several  miles  in  width.  This  accounts  for  the  shells,  etc.,  which  have  been  found 
on  Goat  Island,  it  having  been  submerged  ;  also  for  the  shells  found  on  the  land  along  the 
river  np  stream,  shells  which  enabled  Lyell,  Hall  and  others  to  prove  that  the  Niagara  once 
flowed  through  a  shallow  valley .  That  it  cut  the  gorge  is  geologically  equally  decided.  There 
is  in)  better  place  to  study  geology  and  the  strata  of  rocks  than  this  gorge  that  Niagara  has  cut. 

It  is  said  that  not  only  has  Niagara  ctit  the  gorge  ;  it  has  carried  away  the  chips  of  its  own 
workshop.  The  slate  being  probably  crutned,  is  easily  carried  away.  But  at  the  base  of  the 
fall  we  find  large  boulders,  which  by  some  means  or  other,  are  gradually  removed  down  the 
river.  The  ice  which  fills  the  gorge  in  winter  and  which  grapples  with  the  boulders  has  been 
regarded  as  the  transporting  agent.  Probably  it  is  to  some  extent.  But  erosion  acts  without 
censing  on  the  outbutting  points  of  the  boulder,  thus  withdrawing  their  support  and  urging 
them  down  the  river.  Solution  also  does  its  portion  of  the  work.  That  solid  matter  is  carried 
down  is  proved  by  the  difference  of  depth  between  the  Niagara  and  Lake  Ontario,  where  the 
river  enters.  The  depth  falls  from  seventy-two  to  twenty  feet  in  consequence  of  the  solid 
matter  caused  by  the  diminished  motion  of  the  river.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  gorge  at  Qneen- 
ston,  the  depth,  according  to  the  Canadian  Admiralty  Chart,  is  180  feet,  while  within  the  gorge 
it  is  132  feet. 

Prof.  James  Hall,  in  his  geology  of  the  4th  district  of  New  York  State,  suggests  the  possi- 
bility of  there  having  been  three  separate  falls,  one  above  the  other,  when  the  falls  first  began 
to  recede.  The  face  of  the  gorge  from  the  falls  at  Lewiston  and  along  the  ridge  shows  us  ex- 
actly through  what  kind  of  rocks  the  gorge  was  cut.  Professor  Hall  gives  these  as  the  strata 
of  the  rocks  ;  1,  Niagara  limestone  ;  2,  soft  shale  ;  3,  compact  grey  limestone  ;  4,  shale  ;  5, 
sand-stone  constituting,  with  Nos.  6,  7  and  8,  the  Medina  group  ;  6,  shale  and  marl  ;  7,  quartz 
sandstone  ;  8,  red  sandstone. 

Further  facts  and  ideas  are  found  in  the  writings  of  Prof.  G.  K.  Gilbert,  of  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey.  He  say  that  "  one  might  suspect,  after  a  hasty  examination,  the  two  sides 
had  been  left  asunder  by  some  Plutonic  agency.  But  those  who  have  made  a  study  of  the 
subject  have  reached  the  conclusion  that  the  trench  was  excavated  by  running  water,  so  that  the 
strata  of  the  two  sides  are  alike  because  they  are  parts  of  continuous  sheets,  from  each  of  which 
a  narrow  strip  has  here  been  cut.  The  contour  of  the  cataract  is  subject  to  change  From  time 
to  time  blocks  of  rock  break  away,  falling  into  the  pool  below,  and  new  shapes  are  then  given 


to  the  brink  over  which  the  water  leaps.  Many  such  falls  of  rock  have  taken  place  since  the 
white  man  occupied  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  the  breaking  away  of  a  very  large  section  is  still 
a  recent  event.  By  such  observations  we  are  assured  that  the  extent  of  the  gorge  is  increasing 
at  its  end,  that  it  is  growing  larger,  and  that  the  cataract  is  the  cause  of  the  extension. 

This  determination  is  the  first  element  in  the  history  of  the  river.  A  change  is  in  progress 
before  our  eyes.  The  river's  history,  like  human  history,  is  being  enacted,  and  from  that  which 
occurs  we  can  draw  inferences  concerning  what  has  occured  and  what  wrill  occur.  We  can 
look  forward  to  the  time  when  the  gorge  now  traversing  the  fourth  part  of  the  width  of  the 
plateau  will  completely  divide  it,  so  that  the  Niagara  will  drain  Lake  Erie  to  the  bottom.  We 
can  look  back  to  the  time  when  there  was  no  gorge,  but  when  the  water  flowed  on  the  top  of 
the  plain  to  its  edge,  and  the  Falls  were  at  Lewiston. 

The  commencement  of  the  cutting  of  the  Niagara  gorge  is  the  beginning  of  the  history  of 
the  Niagara  River.  We  have  accomplished  somewhat  of  our  purpose  if  we  have  discovered 
that  our  river  had  a  beginning.  We  are  also  accustomed  to  think  of  streams,  and  especially 
large  streams,  as  permanent — as  flowing  on  forever,  so  that  the  discovery  of  a  definate  beginning 
to  the  life  of  a  great  river  like  the  Niagara  is  important  and  impressive.  The  author  then  con- 
siders the  tendency  of  stream  histories  and  the  tendency  of  lake  histories,  and  after  citing  the 
difference  between  the  streams  of  the  North  and  South  says  :  At  the  South  the  whole  drainage 
system  is  nature  ;  At  the  North  it  is  immature.    At  the  South  it  is  old  ;  at  the  North  young. 

The  explanation  of  this  lies  in  a  great  geologic  event  of  somewhat  recent  date  -  the  event 
known  as  the  age  of  ice.  Previous  to  the  ice  age,  our  streams  may  have  been  as  tame  and 
orderly  as  those  of  the  Southern  States,  and  we  have  no  evidence  that  they  were  lakes  in  this 
region.  During  the  ice  age,  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes  was  somewhat  in  the  condition  of 
Greenland.  It  was  covered  by  an  immense  sheet  of  ice,  and  the  ice  was  in  motion.  In  general 
it  moved  from  North  to  South.  Eventually  the  warm  climate  of  the  South  prevailed  over  the 
invader  born  of  a  cold  climate,  compelling  it  to  retreat.  The  ancient  configuration  of  the 
country  was  more  or  less  modified  by  the  erosive  action  of  the  ice  and  the  deposits  of  drift. 
An  entirely  new  system  of  hills  and  valleys  was  given  to  the  land.  Thus  it  was  that  the  whole 
water  system  of  a  vast  region  was  refreshioned,  and  thus  it  has  come  to  pass  that  the  streams  of 
this  region  are  young.  Like  every  other  stream  of  the  district  of  the  Gr^at  Lakes,  the  Niagara 
was  born  during  the  melting  of  the  ice." 

Professor  Gilbert  then  recites  the  different  stages  of  the  ice  period  and  continuing  says  : 
"  The  next  change  in  the  geography  of  the  lakes  was  a  great  one.  The  ice,  which  had  pre 
viously  occupied  nearly  the  whole  of  the  Ontario  basin,  so  far  withdrew  as  to  enable  accumu- 
ated  water  to  flow  out  by  way  of  the  Mohawk  Valley.  The  level  of  discharge  was  thus  suddenly 
lowered  550  feet,  and  a  large  district  previously  submerged  became  dry  land.    Then  for  the 


first  time  Lake  Rrie  and  Lake  Ontario  were  separated,  and  then  for  the  first  time  the  Niagara 
River  carried  the  surplus  water  of  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario.  Various  changes  contributed  to 
modify  the  history  of  the  Niagara  River.  In  the  beginning,  when  the  cataract  was  at  Lewiston, 
the  margin  of  Lake  Ontario  instead  of  being  twelve  miles  away  as  now,  was  only  one  or  two 
miles  distant,  and  the  level  of  its  water  was  about  75  feet  higher  than  at  present. 

The  characters  of  the  gorge  are  in  general  remarkably  uniform  from  end  to  end.  Its  width 
does  not  vary  greatly  ;  its  course  is  flexed  but  slightly  ;  its  walls  exhibit  the  same  alteration 
of  soft  and  hard  rocks.  But  there  is  one  exceptional  point.  Midway  its  course  is  abruptly 
turned  at  right  angles.  On  the  outside  of  the  angle  there  is  an  enlargement  of  the  gorge,  and 
this  enlargement  contains  a  deep  pool,  called  the  Whirlpool. 

At  this  point,  and  on  this  side  only,  the  material  of  the  wall  has  an  exceptional  character. 
At  this  point  limestone,  sandstone  and  shales  disappear,  and  the  whole  wall  is  made  of  drift. 
Here  is  a  place  where  the  strata  that  forms  the  plateau  are  discontinuous,  and  must  have  been 
so  before  the  last  occupation  of  the  region  by  the  glazier,  for  the  gap  is  filled  by  glacial  drifts. 
If  we  consider  as  a  geological  period  the  entire  time  that  has  elapsed  since  the  beginning  of  the 
age  of  ice,  then  the  history  of  the  Niagara  River  covers  only  a  portion  of  the  period.  In  the 
judgement  of  most  students  of  glacial  geology,  and,  I  may  add  in  my  own  judgement,  it  covers 
only  a  small  portion  of  that  period.  The  great  life  work  of  the  river  has  been  the  digging  of 
the  gorge  through  which  it  runs  from  the  cataract  to  Lewiston.  The  beginning  of  its  life  was 
the  beginning  of  that  task.  The  length  of  the  gorge  is  in  some  sense  a  measure  of  the  river's 
age.  The  problem  of  the  time  consumed  in  this  great  work  has  been  attacked  by  numerous 
writers,  and  the  resulting  estimates  have  ranged  from  three  to  four  thousand  years  to  three  or 
four  million  years. 

A  critical  story  of  data  lends  to  the  belief  that  the  rate  of  recession  in  the  central  part  of 
Horseshoe  Fall  is  approximately  detei mined,  and  that  it  is  somewhere  between  four  feet  and 
six  feet  per  annum.  There  can  be  no  question  that  the  cataract  is  the  efficient  engine,  but 
what  kind  of  an  engine  is  it?  It  is  a  matter  of  direct  observation  that  from  time  to  time  large 
blocks  of  the  upper  limestone  fall  away  into  the  river,  and  there  seems  no  escape  from  the 
inference  that  this  occurs  because  the  erosion  of  the  shale  beneath  deprives  the  limestone  of 
its  support. 

At  the  margin  of  the  Horseshoe  Fall  and  at  the  American  F'all  in  which  places  the  body  of 
falling  water  is  much  less,  the  process  is  different.  There  the  fallen  blocks  of  limestone, form  a 
low  talus  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff,  and  upon  thein  the  force  of  the  desending  water  is  broken  and 
spent.  The  differences  between  the  two  processes  is  of  great  importance  in  the  present  connec- 
tion, because  the  two  rates  of  erosion  are  very  different. 


It  is  a  problem  of  nature,  and  like  other  natural  problems  demands  the  practical  gathering 
of  many  facts,  of  facts  of  many  kinds,  of  categories  of  facts  suggested  by  the  tentative  theories 
of  to-day,  and  of  new  categories  of  facts  to  be  suggested  by  new  theories. 

The  river  sprang  from  a  great  geologic  revolution,  the  banishment  of  the  dynasty  of  cold, 
and  so  its  lifetime  is  a  geologic  epoch  ;  but  from  first  to  last  man  has  been  the  witness  of  its  toil, 
and  so  its  history  is  interwoven  with  the  history  of  man.  The  human  comrade  of  the  river's 
youth  was  not,  alas,  a  reporter  with  a  note-book,  else  our  present  labor  would  be  light. — 

Whatever  the  antiquity  of  the  great  cataract  may  be  found  to  be,  the  antiquity  of  man  is 
greater. 

THK  NIAGARA  RIVER. 

The  Niagara  River  is  part  of  the  boundary  line  between  the  United  States  and  Canada,  so 
decreed  by  the  treaty  of  Ghent  in  1815.  By  that  treaty,  the  boundary  line  runs  through  the 
center  of  the  Great  Lakes,  and  through  the  deepest  channel  af  the  rivers.  By  this  means,  over 
three-fourths  of  the  islands  in  the  River,  including  all  the  important  ones,  but  one,  belong  to 
the  United  States.  Of  these  islands  there  are  in  all  36,  of  which  Grand  Island  is  the  largest  and 
Goat  Island  the  most  famous.  In  its  course  the  river  falls  336  feet,  as  follows  :  From  Lake 
Erie  to  the  Rapids  above  the  Falls,  15  feet  ;  in  the  Rapids,  55  feet  ;  at  the  Falls,  161  feet  ;  from 
Falls  to  Lewiston,  98  feet  ;  from  Lewiston  to  Lake  Ontario,  7  teet.  Its  sources  are.  Laks 
Superior,  the  largest  body  of  fresh  water  in  the  world. 

Lake  Superior,    335  miles  long,  t6o  miles  wide,  1030  feet  deep. 

"    Huron,       260         "  100         "  1000  " 

"    Michigan,  320        "  70        "  1000  " 

"    St.  Clair,      49         "  15         "  20 

"    Erie,  290        "  65        "  84  " 

The  Falls  are  in  latitude  430  6"  North  ;  longitude  20  5"  West  from  Washington,  or  790  5" 
West  from  Greenwich. 

Hennepin  speaks  of  three  Falls,  the  third  formed  by  the  huge  masses  of  rock  situated 
where  Table  Rock  stood.  These  rocks  were  of  great  extent,  and  the  water  being  obliged  to 
flow  around  them,  formed  the  third  Fall,  and  this  Fall  fell  inward  at  right  angles  to  the  present 
Fall.  Seventy  years  later,  1751,  this  third  Fall  had  disappeared,  though  still  told  about  by 
the  Indians.  The  reason  was  that  the  big  rock  had  been  crumbled  away,  and  the  channel  of 
the  big  or  center  Fall,  had  been  cut  deeper,  thus  draining  this  higher  channel. 


CITY  OF  NIAGARA  FALLS. 


The  City  of  Niagara  Falls  received  its  charter  on  March  17,  1892,  and  is  a  consolidation  of 
the  former  villages  of  Niagara  Falls  and  Suspension  Bridge.  Its  present  population  is  about 
20,000,  but  a  large  increase  will  undoubtedly  result  from  the  power  development  now  completed 
and  which  is  attracting  world-wide  attention. 

NIAGARA'S  IMMENSE  POWER. 

No  feature  at  Niagara  is  attracting  quite  so  much  attention  to-day  as  the  big  water  power 
tunnel.  It  is  7,000  feet  long,  21  feet  high  and  19  feet  wide.  It  runs  200  feet  beneath  the  town 
and  will  aid  in  developing  100,000  horse  power.  It  has  its  outlet  below  the  suspension  bridge 
and  is  lined  with  brick  throughout  its  entire  length.  The  water  that  will  furnish  power  and 
flow  through  the  great  tunnel  will  be  taken  from  the  upper  river  over  a  mile  back  from  the 
brink  of  the  falls.  A  canal  1,200  feet  long  is  the  connecting  link  between  river  and  tunnel,  and 
the  water  will  plunge  down  penstocks  on  to  turbines,  the  greatest  ever  operated  in  the  United 
States  Already  the  manufacturers  who  desire  to  avail  themselves  of  this  wonderfully  cheap 
and  accessable  power  are  beginning  to  locate  at  the  Falls,  and  the  city  that  was  at  one  time 
simply  a  summer  resort  has  started  out  to  attain  wonderful  greatness  as  the  largest  manufac- 
turing city  of  America.  The  men  at  the  head  of  this  great  project  are  Edward  D.  Adams, 
Francis  Lvnde  Stetson,  Edward  A.  Wickes  and  William  B.  Rankine  of  New  York. 

HOTELS. 

The  hotel  interests  at  Niagara  Falls  are  very  large,  and  no  matter  what  a  person's  likes 
may  be,  they  can  be  easily  accommodated.  The  prices  per  day  vary  with  the  season.  The 
large  and  leading  hotels  of  the  city  are  : 

THE  CATARACT  HOUSE. 

PROSPECT  HOUSE.  HOTEL,  KAI.TENHACH. 

THE  INTERNATIONAL,.  THE  IMPERIAL,. 

Besides  these  there  are  numerous  others,  many  of  which  would  pleaseHhe  most  fastidious. 
Among  these  may  be  mentioned  Salt's  New  Hotel,  the  Temperance  House,  the  Columbia,  the 
Niagara  House  1  Main  Street),  the  Hotel  Porter,  Niagara  Falls  House,  the  Falls  Hotel,  Harvey 
House,  Central  House,  Hotel  Mayle.  Hotel  Atl antique,  Ziegler's  Hotel,  Fuchs'  Hotel,  Schwartz's 
Hotel,  Monument  House,  Observation  Tower  Hotel.  Windsor  House,  Colonnade,  Cosmopolitan, 
United  States  Hotel  (Main  Street),  Western  Hotel,  New  York  Central  House,  Dolphin  House, 
Exchange  Hotel.  Union  House.  Lester  House,  Frontier  House,  European  Hotel. 


